Chalk Drawings To Honor The Victims Of Gun Violence

PHILADELPHIA (CBS)–September 21st is the United Nation’s International Day of Peace. To mark that event, today at 9 a.m., Arcadia University’s International Peace and Conflict Resolution program will commemorate the thousands of victims of gun violence who died this year. It is part of a giant chalk body drawing which will run for several blocks in Center City.

Dr. Amy Cox, Director of the Conflict and Resolution Center at Arcadia, says “We are drawing chalk body outlines for every American who has been killed by homicidal gun violence in 2013. We sadly expect it to be 8-or-9 thousand body outlines.”

Peter Quinn, a teacher at Montgomery County Community College, is the creator and artist behind the project titled: “American Casualties: A Chalk Drawing.”

He says, “Although the number is a large number, it doesn’t seem to resonate with people. It occurred to me if you actually did a drawing of 12-thousand chalk body outlines, and people could see how large that was, that would have a much greater impact.”

The event is being held on JFK Boulevard between 20th and 30th Street, and will be followed by a candle light vigil at dusk. The public is invited.

Kim Glovas has been covering breaking and developing news as a reporter for KYW Newsradio since 1984, winning honors for “Regional Affairs Council” reporting along the way.
She has been honored by a number of professional organizations including...